Holiday Depression is real
The holiday season consistently shows a rise in emotional distress. This is not incidental. It is directly linked to how people consume digital content during this period. Social media becomes a highlight reel of curated happiness, success, relationships, and celebration. For many, this comparison quietly amplifies sadness.
People scroll through images of perfect families, exotic holidays, expensive gifts, and smiling faces. What remains unseen are the filters, the staging, and the emotional realities behind those frames. Constant exposure to these visuals creates a false benchmark. Individuals begin questioning their own lives, progress, relationships, and worth.
This comparison culture is not harmless. It affects self esteem, sleep, focus, and emotional stability. During the holidays, when people are already reflecting on the year gone by, digital comparison intensifies feelings of inadequacy and isolation. The brain does not distinguish between curated content and reality. It absorbs and internalizes both.
At Akancha Srivastava Foundation, we consistently highlight that excessive social media consumption impacts mental health. The holiday season demands even greater discipline. Reducing screen time is not withdrawal. It is self protection. Limiting exposure to triggering content allows space for clarity, rest, and emotional regulation.
This time also calls for returning to offline anchors. Hobbies that require presence. Activities that engage the mind and body. Reading, walking, creating, learning. These are not distractions. They are stabilizers. They help rebuild a sense of control and purpose that constant scrolling erodes.
Equally important is checking on people beyond social media interactions. A message, a call, a genuine conversation. Many struggle silently. Digital silence does not mean emotional stability. Awareness, empathy, and attentiveness are core pillars of cyber safety and emotional resilience.
The holidays are not a competition. They are a period that requires balance, boundaries, and responsibility in how we engage online. Mental health protection begins with conscious digital behavior. That awareness is not seasonal. It is essential.